WALSH VOTES TO LOWER ENERGY PRICES
House Appropriators Ease Restrictions on Off Shore Exploration for Natural Gas

(Washington D.C.)- Congressman Jim Walsh, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the panel's Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, yesterday voted to ease the current moratorium on natural gas exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).  An amendment on the issue was added to the FY 2007 Interior spending bill, which was approved by the full committee.

The bipartisan action opens the door to unlocking the vast domestic supply of natural gas off the U.S. coastline.  The latest analysis from the federal government’s Mineral Management Service estimates that there are 406 trillion cubic feet, or a fifty-year supply, along the OCS.  The amendment adopted by the committee maintains the moratorium for oil drilling and exploration. 

"Decreasing supplies and escalating prices of natural gas require that we explore tapping into all available domestic sources when environmental conditions allow," said Walsh.  "This action could have a real, immediate impact on high energy prices especially later this year when we enter the home heating season."

Walsh noted that natural gas prices have nearly quadrupled over the last ten years, and natural gas is in increasing demand as more and more electricity generating facilities across the country switch from coal- to natural gas-burning.  Yesterday's provision will allow for the exploration of clean natural gas in the United States' offshore energy reserves with little adverse impact on the environment.

"Given the political unrest in energy-producing countries like Venezuela, Nigeria, and Iran, our own domestic energy supply is the only one we can truly rely on," added Walsh.  "While I oppose opening up ANWR to drilling because of sizable adverse environmental concerns, offshore natural gas exploration and production poses very minimal risks to our environment by comparison."

The full House of Representatives is expected to take up the measure later this month.  

(####)

Home | Press List